Texas A&M softball lost its third game of the series against South Carolina 8-0 on Sunday, April 16, at the Carolina Softball Stadium.
With only two hits and zero runs, the Aggies were unsuccessful in their attempt to bounce back in the last game of the series against the Gamecocks after suffering hard losses in Games 1 and 2.
Senior RHP Shaylee Ackerman started out in the circle for the Aggies and pitched two innings, allowing three hits and two runs. Sophomore LHP Emiley Kennedy relieved Ackerman and also pitched two innings, giving up three hits and three runs. Sophomore RHP Emily Leavitt closed out the game and allowed the three-run homer that ultimately cut the seventh inning short due to the run rule.
The Aggies could not produce a hit until the top of the third inning with a single from freshman 2B Amari Harper. South Carolina jumped on the board early with an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning and demanded the momentum early in the game.
A South Carolina home run in the top of the third inning prompted a quick pitching change from Ackerman to Kennedy. The Gamecocks continued to shake up the Aggie defense with another home run and two more RBIs off of the new pitching and widened the scoring gap to 5-0.
Junior DP Julia Cottrill singled in the top of the sixth inning but was unsuccessful in bringing junior 1B Trinity Cannon home after she drew a walk. A&M left the two runners on base and the window of opportunity to combat the five-run lead was quickly closing for the maroon and white.
South Carolina junior DP Aniyah Black ended the game with a three-run walk-off homer over the left field fence. Black now has 29 hits on the 2023 season and racked up a double and two homers against all three pitchers during today’s matchup. A&M lost to South Carolina 8-0, a tough end to the series after falling 6-2 in Game 1 and 1-0 in Game 2.
A&M softball will be back in action at home at Davis Diamond against Texas State on Wednesday, April 19, before heading to Oxford, Mississippi for more SEC play and another three-game series against Ole Miss next weekend.